Chemists prepare an inorganic double-helix structure for the first time

Discussion in 'Chemistry' started by Plazma Inferno!, Sep 30, 2016.

  1. Plazma Inferno! Ding Ding Ding Ding Administrator

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    Double-helix molecules are frequently encountered in biological and synthetic organic systems, where they typically provide improved strength and better electrical properties relative to materials containing linear chains or single helices. DNA is the defining example. A purely inorganic double helix has been hard to come by.
    Chemists have been seeking out inorganic double helices for decades. Researchers have reported X-ray crystal structures of bulk LiP and LiAs containing spiral and coaxial chains, but it remained unclear as to whether they should be called double-helix structures. More recently, researchers have attempted making metal or metal salt double-helix materials using nanotubes or DNA as templates. But a nontemplated, carbon-free example with a fully characterized double-helix structure had remained elusive.
    A team of some 20 researchers led by Tom Nilges of the Technical University of Munich has prepared the first completely inorganic substance, SnIP, featuring a well-defined double-helix structure. This semiconducting material consists of a twisted tin iodide (SnI+) chain intertwined with a twisted phosphide (P–) chain. The team prepared gram amounts of SnIP by heating tin, red phosphorus, and tin tetraiodide together.

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    https://cen.acs.org/articles/94/i39/Chemists-prepare-inorganic-double-helix.html

    Study: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/...ionid=D84384E8F126E6CA1917474C9C15AA77.f02t02
     
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  3. Beaconator Valued Senior Member

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    As complex as is is it doesn't quite compare to two hydrogen molecules binding together...
     
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  5. exchemist Valued Senior Member

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    When do they do that?
     
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  7. Beaconator Valued Senior Member

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    In your body somewhere in quite sure. For a chemist you missed something quite pertinant in biology (although it's not quite a "full" bond)... Unless you drink a lot of hard water. Your DNA double helix is held together by one single "bond" of two hydrogen's...
     
  8. exchemist Valued Senior Member

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    That is nonsense. The strands of DNA are held together by hydrogen bonds. Hydrogen bonds are not bonds between "hydrogen molecules". They are not even bonds between hydrogen atoms (perhaps you do not know the difference between a molecule and an atom).

    A hydrogen bond is a (usually weak) bond between a bound hydrogen atom and an electronegative atom, such as oxygen or nitrogen, involving one of the "lone pairs" of electrons on the latter. More here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hydrogen_bond

    Before you accuse others of not knowing their subject, it might be a good idea to make sure that you yourself have at least some idea of what you are talking about.

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    Last edited: Oct 13, 2016
  9. timojin Valued Senior Member

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    the Hydrogen bond are depend in the electronegative group and Hydrogen
    • F−H···:F (161.5 kJ/mol or 38.6 kcal/mol)
    • O−H···:N (29 kJ/mol or 6.9 kcal/mol)
    • O−H···

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      (21 kJ/mol or 5.0 kcal/mol)
    • N−H···:N (13 kJ/mol or 3.1 kcal/mol)
    • N−H···

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      (8 kJ/mol or 1.9 kcal/mol)
    • HO−H···

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      H+
      3 (18 kJ/mol[15] or 4.3 kcal/mol;
    • You know it . but in a DNA molecule there are thousands of molecules who contribute to form the double helix and so the helix is held together very strong , but there are enzymes that unzip speaking one by one to separate each strand.
     
  10. Beaconator Valued Senior Member

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    An acid I believe for some truly unknown reason.

    How exactly is a chemist and a biologist to explain hydrogen.

    I could only guess.

    The debate is about hydrogen and how it holds "things" together. Not something so arbitrary as a bond. Nonetheless we are basic creatures and such things fascinate us. How something so bonded can bring us so far apart.

    The key words are absorption to an insoluble substance.

    For if it were insoluble substance, absorption is not possible.

    Why? Because we count absorption in a relatively short time.
     
  11. exchemist Valued Senior Member

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    Good bong?
     
  12. timojin Valued Senior Member

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    I would not not agree to strong with your second and third line

    Proteine at its isoelectric point are precipitated , then you move them from the isoelectric point and they become soluble without going through reaction . same you can charge clay with surfactant
     

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